come and sing with us

Hi! I’m Polly Lockwood, Sevenoaks Phil’s Membership Secretary.

Why sing with us?

Our aim is to make the choral experience enjoyable, covering a wide repertoire and leading to performances which convey our enjoyment of the music we make.

Under our Music Director, Robyn Sevastos, we perform three concerts a season based around the school year with maybe a dozen or so rehearsals leading up to the performance. Whilst some members will be refreshing their knowledge of works they have performed before, there will usually be a fair number of people learning a piece for the first time. Where possible we make available voicepart learning aids to help all members learn their parts so that our later rehearsals can be focused on the subtleties of the performance that Robyn wishes us to give. We will also pair you up with an existing member in the same voicepart so that there is someone who can help you settle in to our rehearsal routine.

So whilst prior experience of singing in a choir (even if it was at school) along with the ability to read music will be advantageous, anyone who can learn their part by ear and blend confidently and accurately along with the others in their voicepart will enjoy their membership and want to bring friends and family to our concerts.

Or maybe the new vogue for working from home means that you are now seeking a choir in Sevenoaks when you previously sang near to your workplace? Or maybe working in London used to mean you could not guarantee being back in time for rehearsals?

Voice test – not audition

Whatever your singing background we do not hold auditions, but we do want to know that you are happy singing in an allocated voicepart. So after a few weeks of settling in, Robyn will invite each new member to sing some scales etc with her alone so that she and you can be confident that you are singing in the right voicepart and enjoying being part of the choir – all very informal and private and Robyn will put you at your ease for what might otherwise be thought a daunting experience.

Rehearsals

Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings between 8 and 10 pm. In the post-Covid era we have moved to a bigger rehearsal space for members to feel comfortable. We now rehearse at Walthamstow Hall Junior School in Bradbourne Park Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3LD – it has a great acoustic and a fantastic piano.

We resume in-person rehearsals next term on Tuesday, 5 September 2023 for our next concert which includes Britten’s Ceremony of Carols and Chilcott’s On Chrictmas Night at St Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks on Saturday 2 December 2023.

Subscriptions

Post-Covid rehearsal costs are, regrettably, higher and, like everywhere at the moment, our costs continue to rise and rise. The Committee always aims to keep our subscriptions as competitive as we possibly can, but of course as a Charity we have to plan to cover our costs.  For season 2023/24, our annual subscription will be £125 with reductions for those starting out in life of £30 aged 21-30, £5 under 21. This continues to compare very favourably with other similar choirs within reach of Sevenoaks.

Come and sing with us

So whether you are an experienced singer returning post-lockdown, someone who is coming back to singing after a longer break or maybe you are just ready to take on a challenging new pastime, please complete the contact form below and our Membership Secretary will be very pleased to help with any further information or the arrangements for getting you along to your first rehearsal or two at the beginning of any rehearsal period, i.e. in September, January or April.

If you enjoy your first few rehearsals and wish to continue with us you will be invited to pay your subscription and welcomed as a fully-fledged member of our Society.

We hope to welcome you as a new member and hope that you too will find singing with Sevenoaks Phil to be an enjoyable and fulfilling outlet for your creative energies!